Israel’s involvement in the recent explosions of communication devices in Lebanon has not only heightened feelings of fear and insecurity among citizens in today’s complex world but has also significantly eroded trust in Western-style information technology products. In 2013, Edward Snowden, a former contractor for the US National Security Agency, revealed that Western IT products, along with some Eastern alternatives like Samsung, were secretly monitoring their users on behalf of US intelligence agencies. A few years later, it was uncovered that Apple’s products were transmitting users’ biometric information to their central database in real time.
However, last week’s terrorist act shows that the insecurity stemming from Western technology products extends beyond mere privacy violations. Instead, it poses a potential threat to individuals’ lives and health. To grasp this critical point, it is important to highlight that since 2015, Apple has fully collaborated with Israeli technology companies.
Starting with the iPhone 8 series, these products have been equipped with advanced Israeli technology. The design and implementation of much of the hidden software in the iPhone are executed by Apple’s branch in Israel. One such software includes a motion detection sensor that can monitor the position of the iPhone user in real-time. Consequently, Western technology products are not merely tools for surveillance by the United States; they may also serve as potential and dynamic threats to their users, benefitting Israeli interests. This collaboration between the United States and Israel has fostered a pervasive sense of insecurity and uncertainty regarding Western technology products.